Special cell for forests, environment of NE states: Javadekar

Union Minister of State Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said a "special cell" would soon be set up to ensure forest and environment are protected while sustainable development also takes place in eight north-eastern states.

"We will soon set up a special cell in the ministry to ensure that forest cover and environment are protected while allowing sustainable development to progress in the north-eastern states," Javadekar told reporters on inaugurating the regional office of his ministry of environment, forests and climate change here.

"We will work with the state government in the north-eastern states. I will also appoint a committee to go in for issue of private forests and community forests" and see the way out to benefit people and still protect environment and forest, he added.

Javadekar said his ministry would also launch a programme to map the forest cover in the north-eastern states in the interest of the tribals in the region.

"We are also going to review the working of the regional empowered committees of decentralization to make them more effective besides mapping all forest lands plot by plot, which means area by area. Contiguous areas will be mapped," he said.

Stating that the central government would introduce minimum support price (MSP) for the minor forest produce sold by tribal people, Javadekar said, "Unless we ensure minimum support for the minor forest produce, the tribals won't get justice and towards that some states have started taking interest. All states should also follow."